Cleaner boilers. Lower operating costs.
SootMotion™ cleans biomass boilers with infrasound – a gentle, continuous method that keeps the furnace, empty draft, tube bundles and flue gas ducts free from soot build-up. The result is able to use cheaper fuel with higher ash content, higher efficiency, fewer shutdowns, a better working environment and extended lifetime.
How SootMotion™ Infrasound sootcleaning works
Instead of steam, compressed air or mechanical sootblowers we use low-frequency sound to release deposits. It is powerful, gentle and cost-efficient.
Powerful turbulence
Low-frequency sound waves (14–25 Hz) create controlled oscillation of the flue gases throughout the boiler. The gas turbulence breaks the bonds between soot, ash and metal surfaces.
Continuous operation
The system is driven by your compressed air system (3–8 bar) and works around the clock in intervals of 0.5–2 seconds every 3–5 minutes while the boiler is running. It uses less compressed air than air sootblowing. Intensity and frequency are adapted to the flue gas system, load and fuel. You avoid costly shutdowns for manual sootcleaning.
No wear
Unlike steam, compressed air or mechanical sootblowing there is no eroding physical contact with the metal surfaces – only with the soot particles on the surface. That means zero wear on turning plates and heat exchangers and a significantly longer lifetime for the entire boiler.
Use more ash-rich biomass
Biomass boilers running on dry chips or forest chips with about 0.5% ash content can move to more ash-rich fuels such as bark (≈3%) and logging residues/grot (≈2%) with SootMotion™ infrasound sootcleaning
Keeps the flue gas system clean from furnace to flue gas cleaning
The infrasound sootcleaning is mounted at the top of the vertical fire-tube boiler, where the flue gas temperature is around 350 °C. From there the sound waves propagate both upstream toward the furnace and downstream through the entire flue gas system – all the way to the flue gas cleaning.
Furnace
The sound propagates upstream into the furnace, increases combustion turbulence and helps release ash from burning fuel, from the grate and furnace walls.
Empty draft (cooled)
After the furnace the flue gases pass a cooled empty draft where the temperature drops before entering the fire-tube boiler. The infrasound helps keep the draft free from soot build-up.
Fire-tube boiler
The infrasound sootcleaning device is typicaly mounted in the turning chamber of the fire-tube boiler. The tubes are kept clean continuously – this is where heat transfer occurs and where soot otherwise sticks the hardest, so this is where the effect is greatest.
Multicyclone & duct
The sound waves continue through the multicyclone and further into the duct toward the ESP, counteracting deposits along the way.
ESP & flue gas fan
The inlet to the electrostatic precipitator stays clean, and the effect reaches all the way to the flue gas fan – the last point in the flue gas path. If a bag filter is installed, the infrasound stops at the bag filter without any negative impact on it.
Result: a single infrasound sootcleaner at the top of the fire-tube boiler delivers cleaner surfaces through the entire flue gas path – from the 1000 °C furnace back to the flue gas fan – with better combustion, heat transfer, availability, more efficient ash discharge and less maintenance on the multicyclone, ducts and ESP.
From analysis to operation
We take end-to-end responsibility – from the first need analysis to completed installation and ongoing optimization.
Needs analysis
We map the deposit patterns and identify the areas that benefit most from infrasonic sootblowing.
Installation
Installed by your own welders and electricians following our instructions, with minimal impact on existing operation. Assembly typically takes 1–2 days and commissioning is done with the boiler running.
Control & monitoring
The system is connected to the boiler control system. Frequency and cycles are continuously adjusted for best performance at every operating point.
Follow-up
We follow up the results with regular inspections and adjust parameters as needed.
Specialists in clean boilers
SootMotion™ is our product for infrasonic sootblowing of biomass boilers and combustion plants. Behind the product stands Tallkraft AB, a Swedish company with long experience of infrasonic sootblowing and combustion plants. Together we have developed a patented product and method with higher availability than similar technology on the market – both more efficient and gentler on your plant.
Tallkraft AB offers SootMotion™ to district heating plants, industrial boiler owners and energy companies that want to optimise their operations. Our goal is simple: cleaner boilers, lower costs, better resource utilisation and less environmental impact.
Why SootMotion™?
- Higher availability, efficiency and gentler on your plant than similar technology
- Tailored solutions for every boiler size and fuel type
- Reliable systems with remote monitoring and support
- Proven results: References show higher efficiency and fewer shutdowns
Smart sootcleaning pays off
Higher efficiency
Clean heat-transfer surfaces mean better heat absorption and lower flue gas temperature. The direct result is lower fuel consumption and or use of cheaper fuel with higher ash content.
Fewer shutdowns
Continuous sootblowing reduces the need for unplanned stops for manual cleaning. Planned stops can be significantly shortened.
Gentle method
Low-frequency sound loosens soot without wear – unlike steam, compressed air or mechanical lances that wear on tubes and plate surfaces.
Payback time for SootMotion™
Enter your boiler's fuel power, operating hours and fuel prices. The calculator shows your potential annual savings from higher efficiency, cheaper fuel, fewer shutdowns and longer tube lifetime. The start-up fee and annual fee are set to 0 – contact Tallkraft for a quote and see how much of the savings you can keep.
Your parameters
Adjust the values for your plant – the calculation updates instantly.
Contact Tallkraft for a quote on the start-up fee and annual fee.
Savings breakdown
- Fuel energy in
- 17,000 MWh/yr
- Less fuel (1%)
- 5,100 EUR
- Cheaper fuel (more ash-rich)
- 84,150 EUR
- Fewer shutdowns
- 15,000 EUR
- Longer tube lifetime
- 10,000 EUR
- Total potential savings
- 114,250 EUR/yr
What does it cost?
Start-up fee and annual fee are set to 0. Get in touch with Tallkraft for a quote – and see how much of the savings will become your net gain.
Contact Tallkraft for pricingThis is a simplified estimate. Actual outcome depends on boiler type, fuel mix, load and operation. Contact us for a plant-specific analysis.
Ready to optimise your boiler?
Get in touch and we'll come back with a free assessment of your plant. We'll review your setup and propose a solution.